Charlie Hughes gave Latics the lead with a superb volley

• Wigan Athletic slumped to a disappointing 2-1 defeat at fellow League One strugglers Burton Albion.
• Latics had been unconvincing in the first half but they taken the lead with a superbly executed volley by Charlie Hughes on 44 minutes.
• The Brewers drew level on 68 minutes as Sean Clare gave the ball away on the edge of the box and Joe Powell hit a low strike from 25-yards which found the bottom corner of the net.
• With six minutes of normal time remaining Latics defender Kell Watts handled the ball in the area and Powell converted the spot kick.
• Beryly Lubala was given a red card on 89 minutes but despite seven minutes of added time the Brewers comfortably held on, with Latics only managing one shot on target all night.
• Latics drop to 23rd place in the table and the Brewers move up to 18th place.

Shaun Maloney made six changes from the team defeated by Portsmouth on Saturday with Sean Clare, Tom Pearce, Liam Shaw, Callum McManaman, Callum Lang and Josh Magennis all starting.

Latics started strongly and they had three early opportunities to go ahead. Almost from the kick-off Magennis had two chances when he broke free of his marker and ran towards goal. His first attempt was blocked by a defender and then when he looked odds on to score his second strike was deflected for a corner.

From the resulting corner the ball fell loose in the six-yard box but Hughes was unable to make a good contact and the chance went begging.

On 18 minutes Lang played a good through ball to McManaman and the winger looked to have evaded his marker but his final shot lacked conviction and dribbled wide of the post.

As Maloney’s men failed to capitalise on their chances the hosts grew in confidence and gradually started to assert themselves.

A shot from distance was spilled by Sam Tickle, the ball fell to a Latics defender who cleared but only as far as Gordon whose strike from outside the area had to be tipped over the crossbar by Tickle.  

A minute later Steve Seddon’s header from inside the six-yard box just cleared the crossbar and soon afterwards Lubala’s strike was narrowly wide of the post as Latics were under pressure.

But against the run of play Latics went ahead in the 44th minute. A Magennis long throw from the right  was headed out to Hughes on the edge of the area and he powerfully volleyed into the bottom corner.  

There was still time for the hosts to threaten however, as Lang made a brilliant block in the area to deny Adedeji Oshilaja an equaliser.

1-0 to Latics at half time.

Maloney replaced the yellow carded Baba Adeeko with James Balagizi at half time. 

The game became very scrappy for awhile with neither team able to demonstrate much cohesion but the hosts once again started to take control as Latics were giving the ball away far too easily.

Shaw was dispossessed in midfield on 64 minutes and Powell’s strike from outside the box was well saved by Tickle. 

Martial Godo replaced the tiring McManaman on 65 minutes as Maloney looked to improve his attacking options.

But it was hosts who continued to dominate and from a set-piece situation Ryan Sweeney headed just wide of the target.

The Brewers were ahead two minutes later as Clare gave the ball away on the edge of the box and  Powell’s low strike found the bottom corner from 25-yards.

Magennis and Pearce were replaced by Steven Sessesgnon and Stephen Humprys on 74 minutes.

But the hosts continued to press forward with Kwado Baah having a strike from the left side of the box  blocked on 76 minutes.

Latics struggled to build any meaningful momentum going forward and matters got worse on 84 minutes when Kell Watts handled the ball in the area and referee Sunny Sukhvir Gill awarded a penalty to the Brewers.

Watts appeared to be pushed as he went up for the ball, but his hand was way above his head and the referee was always likely to give a penalty in the circumstances.

Powell converted the spot kick to put the Brewers in control.

In the 89th minute Lubala was shown a red card for a foul on Balagizi.

But despite the man advantage and seven minutes of added time the hosts comfortably held on for the victory.

Overview 

Latics’ fans who were expecting an improved performance at Burton were sadly disappointed as Maloney’s men turned in a dire display against fellow strugglers. 

Apart from the opening period when Latics had three good chances to take the lead, they rarely threatened the Brewers’ goal and several players underperformed against some very average opposition.

The defending was shambolic at times with Clare presenting Gordon with the opportunity for the first goal and Watts handling the ball for the penalty. Latics too often gave the ball away in defensive positions and a better team than Burton would have made the most of the opportunities.

Latics have gone backwards in recent weeks and the performances have become increasingly disappointing, Bristol Rovers was pretty dreadful and tonight’s performance was not much better.

Maloney’s team selection was a strange one tonight with six changes and the combative Scott Smith left out of midfield, striker Stephen Humphrys on the bench and their best attacking player Martial Godo also on the bench. The manager may have had his eyes on the weekend game at Stevenage but not securing the three points at Burton was a big mistake.

For whatever reason several of the players are just not performing to their abilities at the moment. Lang, Aasgaard, Clare, Rekik and Pearce are all out of form and the team overall are making too many silly mistakes. 

Latics have now lost five of their last six games and are second bottom of the table.

The optimism of early season has now dissipated and unless there is a massive improvement there are worrying times ahead.  

Post match comments

Speaking afterwards, Maloney was reluctant to accept that his team had performed badly.

He believed there was not much to separate the two sides, and emphasised there is no time for disappointment, and Latics’ focus must swiftly turn to Stevenage. 

“I think the performance was everything I expected really. It was a very difficult game. The two goals are really difficult to take. Everything I asked the players to do, they did. Sometimes you don’t get what you deserve. I don’t think there was a lot (between the two sides) in the game, maybe just a couple of moments.

“We created some chances. I was happy with the performance. We knew the way Burton played, they play two or three passes and then they really put a lot of numbers on your last line, that’s why we played a back three tonight. What has been an issue for us recently is giving up big chances. Today, we limited them to very little and it’s difficult for the players to take. 

“Two mistakes have cost us. We don’t have much time to dwell on that, and we have to go again. Tonight it’s just one of those nights where we didn’t get what we deserved, but that’s football.”

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